


Hand in Heart

by OutOfPracticeYall



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I just want simarkus okay, M/M, Revolution, Romance, Slow Burn, idk what else to tag here, im winging it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-06-28 10:10:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15705129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OutOfPracticeYall/pseuds/OutOfPracticeYall
Summary: This is essentially an extension of Markus' and Simon's in game relationship plus romance. It will follow along side peaceful Markus' cannon story line (Where Simon doesn't die) with added scenes that develop his and Simon's relationship.Warnings and ratings are subject to change because I don't have everything planned out.Each chapter will have a summary placing it in the events of the game to help make it as clear as possible what has and hasn't happened yet.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter One is set just a few days after the Jericho gang infiltrate the cyberlife ware house and make it out with supplies, the truck and the newly free androids.
> 
> In which Markus sees a side to Simon he didn't expect and finds out more about the older models dealing with their deviancy.  
> TW: Android death

“They are still our people.”  Markus’ firm voice cut the brewing arguments of North and Josh. He didn’t expect this to have been a debate as far as Markus was concerned there was one right answer to what he had proposed and he couldn’t believe they hadn’t agreed. His eyes surveyed the now quiet room, North sat to his left and Josh stood to his right, their eyes locked in battle as they thought about their next arguments. Simon stood by the door as observant as ever, he had yet to voice his opinion on the matter. “None of you saw what I witnessed. Our people are being left to die, to struggle and turn on each other in pits across cities filled the bodies of our kind. We can’t- I won’t abandon them.”

The pits Markus spoke of were the junkyards, the very same ones that he had been dumped in and left to die. Even though none of the others had come from there or even seen one up close, they knew what they were. Markus could sense their blatant unease at the mere thought of going to one. It sent chills through all their systems, his included.

“He’s right.” Simon finally spoke, for a moment his eyes met Markus’ before he shrugged and looked to his friends, “The androids there are no less deserving of our help than the ones we brought back from the warehouse.”

“But we can’t just bring them back!” Josh interjected, “I hate the thought of them being out there just as much as you do, but they’re broken, we’d need to assess them, to fix them before we can even move them. If we’re caught, we’ll have nowhere to go; we’ve as good as jumped in a grave for the humans.”

Josh had a point, as much as they (Josh included) hated it. They had just stolen from the humans, they’ll be on high alert as it is. The conversation fell silent as the group processed Josh’s words. Weighing it out the risks, calculating outcomes, LEDs spinning between blue and yellow.

Markus’ gaze dropped to the floor, his fist clenching and unclenching as he tried to form his words. Why was everything such a struggle? The people of Jericho were so used to just hiding, so okay to settle down with the rust and damp of the ship. He understood they were scared, they weren’t soldiers, they weren’t made for revolution but they weren’t made for this pitiful excuse of an existence either. They had broken away from their programming, why was it so hard for them to fight for more?

“We could use the parts.” North broke the silence. “If going for our people isn’t enough, we go for the parts too. What we have isn’t going to last forever and we’re not getting back into that warehouse.”

“It’s three to one, Josh. We go to the scrap yard tonight.” Markus spoke before anyone had a chance to disagree.

 

* * *

 

He’d forgotten how horrifying the noise was.

The ear piercing, metallic screeching seemed to carry for miles. They heard it before they even got to the yard. How the humans could tolerate the cries of the desperate and dying Markus didn’t know. But then, the humans seemed to experts at ignorance. He considered shutting off his audio units altogether but he needed them to help the androids that could be salvaged. But he refused to shut off his ears to the cries of his people ever again.

“What are you doing?” Simon’s voice rose above the noise. Markus couldn’t help but home in on it, it was the first time he’d heard the man raise his voice. It piqued his interest and concern.

He stood up from the pile of parts he’d been rummaging through and found Simon stood between North, Josh and half an android. Still alive, still awake, but barely functioning, he was propped up against the discarded bodies skinless, covered in his own thirium and littered with holes. No doubt the stronger of the androids had already stripped him for most of his parts. Markus didn’t even need to run a diagnostic check to see this android was beyond help.

“He’s not salvageable. We need the parts!” As she spoke North took a step towards the android only to have Simon step between them again. Though her tone was verging on annoyed it wasn’t without sympathy.

“Find them somewhere else.”

They hadn’t even noticed Markus step up beside them until he spoke. They didn’t have time for arguments so Markus opted for a compromise, “He shouldn’t be suffering like this either way. We should shut him off and leave him be.”

“You can’t-” The words seemed to leave Simon’s mouth before he had processed them, he looked just as shocked as his comrades when they came falling out. It inspired something like aching in Markus that he didn’t understand. “You can’t just give up on him.”

“Simon.” Markus’ voice was gentle as he stepped towards Simon, so much so it was almost lost the noise of the yard. “Leaving him like this would be giving up, this is the best we can do for him.”

He glanced between Markus and the android, he couldn’t seem to see either of them, his LED spinning red as he backed off and turned away, “I won’t be part of it.”

North knelt down to the Android and gently laid a hand on his chest. She paused for a moment, coming to terms with what she was about to do, maybe even hoping the android would ask her to stop, but he didn’t he just sat there dull and unknowing. Then she shut him down and stood again, looking ahead and meeting neither Markus’ nor Josh’s gaze. “I won’t take the parts.”

The three of them dispersed without another word, they had a task to focus on there wasn’t time to lament over the ones they couldn’t save. In just under an hour they had managed to rebuild three androids and found rags enough to clothe them for now. Their backpacks were filling with spare parts. No humans had come by and if this kept up, they could work through the night helping as many as they can. All in all, this was feeling like a success.

Apart from one small detail, Markus had scarcely seen Simon since the incident with the unsalvageable android and it was beginning to worry him. Markus made his way through the piles of bodies and rubble, they hadn’t gone towards the pack of the yard yet. The androids there were older and passed, no doubt their parts would be rusted and unusable too.

Finally, he could sight of Simon as he rounded another pile. The other man was sat next to an android lay half buried in the ground.  It was awake, rambling about the constellations in the sky, the human programming of its voice drowned out by the internal malfunctioning, instead, it sounded scratchy and robotic. Simon’s hand held onto the dying android’s both of them looking lost and helpless, that aching feeling came back to Markus as he quietly approached them.

He sat down just as the android’s sentence about Orion trailed off, his LED finally flickering out. Simon didn’t look away from the body as he spoke. “He said the children liked his stories about the stars so I asked him to tell me some. I thought it might... That it might make him feel like he was home again. He wasn’t even a deviant, Markus. They just threw him away.”

For once, since he’d arrived at Jericho, Markus didn’t have words. No inspiring speech to lift Simon’s spirits, nothing. “I’m sorry.” It was all he could muster.

“He’s the eighth one I’ve seen.” He stated, prying his eyes away from the body to look at Markus, who was at a loss for what he meant. Markus looked at the body again and it hit him, he realised he recognised that face mould. It hadn’t clicked at first without the skin and hair he hadn’t connected the dots, but those piercing blue eyes were unmistakable. The same eyes as the android from before and the same eyes as Simon’s. “Everywhere I look in this place I see my face.”

“Simon,” He reached out, hoping to comfort the other man only to have Simon flinch away from him.

“How can they be so cruel? They throw us away like nothing just because they think we’re outdated so they can replace us newer, better models like you.” Markus stared at Simon, who looked just as shocked at his own words before he dropped his gaze again as his LED span between yellow and red. “I- I’m sorry Markus, I can’t do this. I can’t be here.”

He didn’t even give Markus a chance to formulate a response before he stood and walked, almost ran away. The feeling of success died away with his departure.

 

* * *

 

Adjusting to the ship was an ever trying process for Markus. He longed for the comfort of Carl’s home, of the tidy rooms, the clean surfaces, the bright warm lights and windows to the outside. The wanting was particularly bad when they arrived back from the junkyard. Jericho looked especially dreary and hopeless after tonight’s events. He couldn’t celebrate the ones he had saved, he couldn’t rejoice in the fact they had more supplies now, not after what had happened with Simon.

He took what solace he could in taking stock of their new supplies and organising them with the others from the warehouse. A room had been cleared out and stacked with as many working shelves as they could find to facilitate the spare parts and thirium packs. It was still rusted and unhygienic, but it was the best could do for now.

“Markus?” The soft voice and gentle knocking broke his train of thought. Simon stood in the doorway, not quite in the room, looking sheepish about intruding. “I wanted to apologise for earlier.”

Markus offered him a gentle smile, “Its okay Simon. That place is...” He paused as the memory of having to drag himself through the junkyard passed through his mind again. “I was too busy thinking about the outcome, about saving our people there, I neglected to take your feelings into consideration. I should be the one apologising.”

Something changed in Simon’s expression that Markus couldn’t quite decipher, whatever it was it looked vulnerable, his lips parted as if to speak but he seemed to think better of it.

“Is it really that bad?” Markus asked. “With your model?”

Simon smiled and shook his head, “I thought you would have known, but I guess not. I doubt replacement is something you’ve ever had to fear. Humans have been replacing my model for years now; they even built different versions of us. Same face different insides. We’re outdated and old. They don’t even buy us second hand anymore.”

Markus couldn’t help but feel the burden of these words, he was the better, newer model, he was the replacement. “Simon, I-”

“You don’t need to apologise Markus. None of what the humans are doing is your fault.” Simon stepped into the room, looking over the shelves. "Is there anything I can help with?”

“I’m almost done, its fine really.”

“Please, I want to be of help somehow, I’ve” He paused, the words seemingly caught in his throat. “I already let you down once.”

It was hard for Markus not to feel for the other man.  “Alright. I haven’t sorted through that box other there.” He conceded, nodding to a box of parts that needed shelving. In truth, Markus had sorted through it, he knew exactly what parts were in that box, they just needed putting away, but he didn’t have the heart to tell Simon that.

They worked in relative quiet aside from the occasional question about where things should go. Markus found it comfortable, he didn’t feel the pressure he felt around some of the others. Even if they weren’t talking Markus felt more like himself with Simon. He wasn’t a leader or a rebel right now, he was just himself, the way he had been with Carl. This was perhaps the closest Markus would get to that part of himself for a long while.

Every now and again he’d glance over at Simon and realise he wasn’t as far along in the stock taking as he thought, he was only seconds behind sometimes, sometimes it was a whole minute. Such a small span of time, but to an android, it felt so much more. Was this why humans wanted newer models, PL600s couldn’t process things as fast as the newer models, but then what’s one minute to a human?

No. There was no excuse for it. Simon, PL600s and every other older model should have never been treated this way. He was going to put an end to it.

“Thirium’s still going to be a problem in the future.” Simon pointed out as he surveyed over the self containing the thirium packs. There seemed so much more in that truck, how were they already so low.

Markus sighed, “We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get to it.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set just after Chapter One, no major in game events have been between these chapters.
> 
> A Pair of new Androids arrive in Jericho with news about the docks.

Markus was beginning to know the leaders of Jericho better, they weren’t as docile as he had originally thought, they only lacked someone to direct their convictions into a common cause. North was resentful of the humans and how they’d treated her and her kind, Josh was a diplomat, he believed they needed a platform- a voice- but he hadn’t means of getting them one, and Simon seemed focused on keeping what little androids that made it to Jericho together and safe.

They could work together, Markus had seen at the warehouse if only he could get them that in tune together all the time, he’d have a reliable and resourceful team on his hands.

These were the thoughts that whirled around is mind as he stood secluded in one of Jericho’s many rooms charging. At least since he’d been here he’d managed to encourage the androids to make use of more of the ship, instead of crowding around the hull. The time apart seemed to do Josh and North good.

“Markus!” His respite was interrupted by a model WR600 he hadn’t learned the name of yet, as the other android popped his head through the door. “There’s new people, you should come see them.”

It took a moment for all his systems to online again and before Markus had a chance to reply the other android had run off back to the hull, his feet clanging against the metal floors as he went. WR600s seemed to be fairly common deviants, they didn’t have the most glamorous purpose. Garden hands and trash men, it put them at a high risk of human abuse, so there was more than a few in Jericho now.

He made his own way down and quickly spied the two new androids. It wasn’t the quiet reception that normally happened in Jericho, these two androids were terrified and sobbing as the others tried to comfort them. Simon, who had been kneeling down next to them spotted Markus and stood up to meet him.

“They were three.” He informed Markus solemnly, “They lost their friend to a mob of homeless who’ve moved in an abandoned warehouse further up the docks.”

This news concerned Markus, he couldn’t understand how Simon delivered it so calmly. “So close to us? Aren’t we going to do something about it?”

Simon shrugged. “There have always been drifters here and there. They’ve gotten more over the years, but they don’t come in ships. It makes humans uneasy, we’re still safe here.”

“No. We’re not.” Markus frowned, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “They lost their friend. So close to us, we shouldn’t be letting that happen. We need to do something!”

Before Simon had a chance to answer one of the new androids had rushed over and latched on to Markus’ arm. She sobbed against the fabrics of his shirt as she pleaded with him “Please, you have to help! He could still be out there! Please!”

“We will.” Markus said softly, guiding her back to her seat, which was just an old crate, and took her hands in his, “We’ll find him and we’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again. Right, Simon?”

The blond Android looked like he had been caught in the headlights. Markus hadn’t given him chance to argue; he knew there was no way Simon could deny this in front of the rest of Jericho and took full advantage of that. “Right.”

 

* * *

 

“I still don’t see why you didn’t ask the others to help with this,” Simon spoke as he and Markus made their way across the old docks. It was once a thriving shipping port, now it was just the ruins of yet another industry human’s had abandoned in favour of automation.

“Because we don’t need them,” Markus replied, “It’ll be fine with just you and me, we’re just going to observe the humans and find this William. There’s no need for more than two of us, we’ll just be making ourselves more obvious that way.”

As Markus looked back, he observed the nervous look Simon was trying to hide, he got the feeling the other Android didn’t leave Jericho much until Markus came along. He almost felt bad dragging him out like this, but this was something Simon was going to have to get over at some point. He couldn’t just reside himself to spend the rest of his life in that ship, Markus didn’t know how it hadn’t sent him mad already.

“But why me?” Simon asked, “I wasn’t exactly made for this sort of thing why not North or Josh?”

“None of us were made for this.” Markus sighed as he made his way through a maze of rusted industrial crates. “But the people of Jericho look up to you, Simon, they respect you, depend on you. They need to see you fight for them if they’re ever going to want more than what they have now.”

Simon didn’t say much after that. Whether he agreed with this logic or not, he didn’t make it known. They walked in quiet for a while until Simon grabbed Markus’ arm and nodded towards a group of humans stood around a barrel fire. They immediately backed up against the wall of a warehouse and hid out of view.

“There’s five of them,” Markus said after a moment. A quick scan of their condition confirmed to him they were homeless. Dirty skin, ragged clothes, they were reminiscent of his own appearance coming out the junkyard.

“Markus,” Simon whispered, his voice sent a chill through Markus as he pointed just past the human’s gathering. “Look.”

He spotted William. Well, he spotted what was left of the android strewn about the floor and trash, “We were too late.”

Markus felt Simon’s had gently rest on his shoulder, “We should go.” His voice shook as he spoke.

But Markus couldn’t move, he was rooted to the spot as a boiling rage flooded through him. He despised these people. He despised what they had done and he wasn’t just going to let them get away with this. “No. We’re making leave. Now.”

“Markus, we can’t! There’s too many of them, they’ll kill us.” There was a tone of desperation in Simon’s voice. Markus couldn’t deny he was right, there was a high probability that this would end up going badly for them, but how was he supposed to walk away from this. He felt Simon pull on his arm now, trying to force him to move. “We have to go. We can’t win this fight.”

Markus’ eyes closed, his eyebrows furrowing as he fought to control his emotions and reason. Every inch of him wanted to just lunge himself at the group of people, but Simon’s logic, Simon’s voice, was the only thing keeping him stuck to the spot. He couldn’t fight, he couldn’t leave either. Neither option was acceptable to him.

“Who’s over there?” His inner turmoil was interrupted by a gruff male voice. One of the humans had noticed them. The two androids shared a glance, instinct telling them to flee but it was too late the humans had found where they had been hiding. The one who had called over immediately screwed up his face in disgust noticing Simon’s LED that flared yellow. “Who the hell are you?” He addressed Markus.

“I,” Markus froze, glancing between the scruffy men that were now surrounding them.

_Markus._ He heard Simon’s voice radiating from within his head. _I don’t think they realise you’re an android._

Simon was right. He didn’t have an LED anymore, they didn’t seem to recognise his model. If he played his cards right, they could walk out of this alive and unharmed. “Just passing through. I didn’t realise anyone was here.”

_Let’s play along then._ Markus relayed back to Simon, not seeing what other choice he had. He noticed out the corner of his eyes, Simon straighten up, letting his hands hang idle but purposely by his side. Playing the part of an obedient android. His android.

“Well, we are here.” The man spoke with an aggressive tone that kept Markus on edge. “And we don’t like it when people trespass on our turf, especially not pricks like you who bring around their plastic pets.”

“In fact,” A second one chimed in, even going as far as to step up to Simon and shove his shoulder. Simon managed not to react other than to return to his neutral pose. However, Markus wasn’t fooled, he had to be terrified right now. “Androids like that don’t seem to last long around here.”

“Like I said,” Markus began trying to remain as calm as he could and focus on getting out of there. “I was just passing through. I’ll be on my way and you won’t have to worry about seeing either of us again.”

“Maybe,” The second man began again, “Maybe you don’t just get to walk away,” He shoved Simon again, Simon’s LED briefly span red but he made no move to get away. “Maybe you owe us something now?”

This situation was getting to reminiscent of the protesters beating him and Markus being able to make no move to stop it, of Leo pushing him around and Carl telling him not to defend himself. He was tired of it, he was tired of being helpless and he hated how they were programmed to just accept their abuse. He was sick at the feeling he had put Simon in this position out his own stubbornness.

Markus didn’t think, he snatched hold of the strangers outstretch and pushed him back with such a force he fell into this friend behind him. “Maybe you stop touching him.”

“You little shit!” The first aggressor practically spat the words.

He went to say something more, perhaps even do something more, but Markus cut him off. “Simon?”

“Yes, Markus?” His friend’s voice was far too flat for his liking. He was too good at this.

“Call the police. I want this reporting.” Markus almost smiled at the look of disbelief on the group of human’s faces. “And make sure you send their pictures. I want the police to know who they're looking for in the shelter tonight.”

“Yes, Markus.” Simon made a show of lifting his hand to his LED as if he was actually following through with Markus’ orders when one of the homeless men made a noise of shock and held up his hands.

“Hey now!” He pleaded, “No need to do anything like that! Let’s just all take a step back and go our separate ways okay?”

That did make Markus smile. There was something pleasing deep down at seeing the humans being the ones to squirm for once. “Sure, and I wouldn’t come back this way if I were you.” He nodded towards to remains of William, “Wouldn’t want someone thinking you’re responsible for the reckless violence.”

With that said the human’s dispersed, trying not to look too eager to leave but leaving all the same. Markus saw Simon finally relax, returning to his usual posture and mannerisms. “That’s was close.”

“Too close,” Markus replied, his hand coming to Simon’s shoulder, despite them both trying to play off what had just happened, they were both left unsettled by it. He moved over to the remains of William, the reason they had come here in the first place and ran a scan. “He’s not too badly damaged, maybe we can put him back together?”

He looked to Simon as he asked the question who, although androids couldn’t be sick, looked reasonable queasy at the idea.

 

* * *

 

William hadn’t been salvageable. They had to return back to Jericho empty-handed, neither heroes nor failures. The humans had been successfully removed but that wasn’t enough for Markus. He couldn’t stand this feeling of letting his people down, of losing android after an android, there had to be more they could do than just this.

It was Simon who delivered the news to William’s friends, he had a gentle mannerism and Markus couldn’t face them knowing he hadn’t done what he’d promised too. He returned to his solitary room and sat on an old rusted bed frame, head in his hands. The mattress long since rotted away.

“Markus?” That same gentle voice came from the doorway minutes later, Simon didn’t wait to be invited in like he had in the stock room instead he came and sat beside Markus. “You did everything you could.”

And it wasn’t enough, he thought to himself, making no effort to respond to Simon.

There was a moment of silence, Markus thought Simon might just leave if he ignored him, but the other android continued, his voice seeming unsure of itself, “I know Jericho isn’t what you expected, you’re not the only one that arrived here and was disappointed. I know, that by extension, I’m not what you expected either.”

That did make Markus look up. It was true, he couldn’t deny the initial disappoint he felt seeing Jericho and its ‘leader’, he hadn’t realised it was that apparent to Simon.

“I didn’t ask to be in this role,” As Simon continued he smiled a little, “I just fell into it, kind of like how you fell into Jericho.”

Markus let out a courtesy laugh and shook his head, “That was terrible.” Even if it was, it somehow made him that bit happier.

“I know.” His smile faltered, “But it’s true, I’ve just been here longer, so people look to me. So yes, I know I’m disappointing.” Simon paused looking down as he tried to formulate his words, “Yet seeing you, how much you care, it... It makes me want to be more. I want to be able to give our people the same hope you inspire in them. The hope you inspire in me. I’ve been talking to North and Josh, we’re going to start walking the docks every now and again. To make sure the way is still safe to Jericho. It’s not much but it’s a start.”

Markus felt his chest swell as he looked at Simon with something he thought was pride. “To our people, out there and alone, it’s more than you can know.”


End file.
